1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus that images a wide area by imaging an object several times while changing imaging positions, a method of making an imaging-plan for the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, and an imaging method that is performed by the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a method of imaging a wide area (hereafter, called wide-area imaging), which can not be imaged at one time, by imaging the area several times while moving a bed is used. Uses of the wide-area imaging considered now are as follows.
(1) Metasearch of the whole body: STIR-T2, angiography, and DWI.
(2) in the case of finding that metastasis has spread, as a result of scanning for target regions.                liver: same as the metasearch, when finding something in the liver and intending to image other regions: STIR and DWI.        spine: After imaging meta of the lumbar, when intending to image the cervical vertebrae: STIR-T2 and angiography. Syringomyelia is the same as the above.        aortic aneurysm: when intending to image the pelvis.        
(3) As for mass lesion of the pelvis.
When intending to image a desired region deviating from a Z direction, because a volume exists in the Z direction.
(4) Examination of an abdomen of person with large body frame.
(5) Blood vessel image of the brachium (from the ends of the fingers to the shoulder).
(6) Imaging the whole spine including the medullar.
An automatic imaging-plan for the spine image is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,608,916. A method of automatically determining slice positions of interspinal disc is disclosed in JP-A No. 7-51248. A method of making an imaging-plan for a magnetic field resonance imaging apparatus is disclosed in JP-A No. 2003-210430. Further, a method of making an imaging-plan including a plurality of target objects is disclosed in JP-A No. 11-113876.
However, in wide-area imaging, as described in the related art, in addition to consideration to determination of positions with respect to regions of interest or selection of FOV (field of view) without return, it is required to consider continuity of slices imaged and spatial resolution, so that it takes considerable time and effort to make an imaging-plan.